New Administration, A New Day for Business

by Jean Seawright

If you're an owner or manager, it's no surprise to you that there is a government regulation for nearly every employment decision you make.  The reality is that you can't hire, promote, discipline, transfer, pay, or terminate an employee without considering local, county, state, and federal employment regulations. Depending on where your business is located and how many employees you have, you may have to comply with regulations that dictate everything from the precise questions you can ask during an interview to what you can legally deduct from the final paycheck of an employee who owes you thousands of dollars (zippo, in many cases!).

The cost of compliance is staggering. For the 28 million small businesses in the U.S., regulatory compliance costs over $10,000 per employee; 36% higher than the cost for a larger business. It's no wonder some business owners consider regulatory costs to be a hidden tax on businesses.  And it doesn't seem to quit. Over the last 20 years, the federal government has added more than 80,000 regulations---typically between 3,500 and 4,500 annually.

Revenues and Expenses by Steve Bailey

The basic function of any Profit & Loss Statement is to measure the performance of an entity, in the form of Profitable or not. But most P&L’s are not exactly like the one you find in The Group’s Profit & Loss Study. In most cases, the P&L your CPA or tax reporter gives you is geared toward tax reporting, and not business management. The Group’s Profit & Loss Study measures Operating Profitability, allowing a direct comparison to other garden centers in a like mode of operation and/or size. Better yet, it allows your center to compare your numbers with all of the centers that reported as well as the Best Practices/High Achiever group.

Let’s begin with the basic Profit & Loss section, which encompasses all of the incoming money in the form of Revenues and the expenses going out in the form of Cost of Goods Sold, Operating Expenses, and Wage & Wage Benefits.

Retailers are invited to participate in the Retailers' Choice Awards™ again this year as we search for the best new plants and products at both Cultivate'17 and Farwest 2017.

Join Sid Raisch and Danny Summers at Cultivate'17 and Danny at Farwest 2017 for a great way to find new products for your store. Here's why it is a great experience. You meet at the beginning of the show's first day to receive instructions and then work the show at your own pace. Then participants meet at the end of the first day to share finds. You share yours and then you hear what everyone else found (this is the great benefit for you). Sid and Danny take care of the rest, but this gives you a chance to see all the things you missed (and others found) the next day!

Who is SynRG™

SynRG™ is the founding organization behind the Handpicked for You® program and created by the following producers:
 

Bailey Nurseries Adds Digital Help

Here is a brief update on some of what our three consumers brands are up to from a digital perspective recently! These contain some great tools the retailer can use when developing customer interaction and providing educational content.

How Did They Do That? - Details from the 2016 P&L Study

by Danny Summers

As all of the Group Clients who participated in the Annual P&L Study for 2016 have received their own reports, Steve Bailey has shared some details for total Group results. One thing that stood out was Transaction Counts with the Best Practices/High Achievers (+4% when the Total Group was -1%).

So, under the heading of..."How Did They Do That?"... we have asked the question. You will be very interested in some of the answers they have shared.

Building Your Social Audience - Part 2

A How-To Series, by Danny Summers

Several weeks ago we began this series with several examples for building your social audience. This week, Botanical Interests' Brandon Coppin, Director of Social Media and Video Production, is sharing an infographic that outlines our social media strategy for gardeners along with two white papers shared here.

A Sneak-Peak into 2018

from Hort Couture's Kelly Staats 

White Oak Gardens – Grand Re-Opening

by Sid Raisch

The 2016 Profit & Loss Study Results are in!

2016 may be past history, but history in the form of garden center financials can teach us many good lessons. Measuring what occurred in the past and using that information to set a more Profitable course is the key to good retail management. 

Implementing an Effective and Compliant Background Check Process

Jean Seawright

With Spring hiring in full swing, we’ve received a number of calls and emails from Garden Center Group members inquiring about background checks.

Without a doubt, background checks are essential to help ensure that you hire fit, competent, and qualified workers who do not pose an unreasonable risk of harm to your business or customers. The cost of background checks is surprisingly low, but can pay off in spades by reducing the risks associated with negligent hiring claims.

Weed at Work

New marijuana laws raise vexing questions for employers.

Let’s be blunt: Like it or not, pot is here to stay. The November election proved this to be true. To date, 28 states, the District of Columbia, and Guam have legalized medical marijuana use. Nine of these have also legalized recreational use of the drug.

Support for marijuana legalization has clearly outpaced the opposition and, in light of new state laws and regulations that permit marijuana use, many employers are uncertain how far they can go and how far they should go when it comes to adopting or enforcing drug-free workplace policies and drug testing.

"The Question Remains... Why?"

by Robert Hendrickson

My previous article outlined the results of a survey asking people who garden to provide me with their reasons why they garden. Over 2500 replies were then consolidated into thirty key categories based on words people used in the surveys. The purpose was to identify customer-centric values that would become the basis of a marketing campaign.

Retail Rules of the Road:

"It doesn't matter what it is, what it does or how much it costs until you explain why it should matter to the customer."

Pricing for Fun and Profit

"Danny said that a pricing tactic I shared in this webinar "is the most important part everyone needs to hear". While it is true that this tactic is important, I feel that the most important thing that was shared is the strategies required to set prices responsibly and professionally. 100% of your profit comes directly from the prices you charge. If you'd like (or need) stronger profits now and into the future then listen to this webinar to learn the strategies and tactics to become a Pricing Professional."

2017 Weekly Department Review... and More!

by Steve Bailey

The Garden Center Group prides itself on sharing information. Rightfully so, with the various GroupEs available, Fall Event, and the other activities that promote Owners and Managers communicating with each other.

Nothing typifies this more than the Weekly Department Review (WDR). The weekly sharing of numbers is a source of wonderment when I tell other traveling consultants about it. They can't believe any group or retail segment is as sharing as this one. Plus, they are envious.

 2017: Psychological Pricing for Perceived Value

"Ask And Ye Shall Receive"


by Robert Hendrickson

After a few decades working with garden center owners on their marketing plans, I've found people usually fall into one of two camps. The majority seem to believe "targeting", "taking aim", "a rifle, not a shotgun approach" (like their intended customers are some sort of prey that need to be brought down) is the best and most logical approach when it comes to marketing their company.

A much smaller faction have the confidence to believe that when it comes to effective marketing, "what" you say is far more important than "who" you might be reaching.

It is Time for the Death of Discounts.

Some of you are irritated with me already. But if you hang in there we may come together on the idea.

Let's start by looking at why our culture encourages retailers to discount so much in the first place.

Stay Focused

by Robert Hendrickson

The industry organization was so confident in their presumptions, that months before their survey project was complete they had already stated... "The results of this initiative will demand a shift in strategies, thinking, and paradigms. This is the future of the horticulture industry."  (Note: I've learned never to trust anyone who uses the word paradigm when discussing business or marketing and especially never trust anyone who believes they can predict the future.)  Besides, any first year 'Stats' student would see right through this charade. When those in charge of research have an agenda to find results that support their beliefs, any survey can be structured to guarantee those results.

I also question the value of asking people who don't garden or shop garden centers for their opinion on what garden centers should do to prepare for the future. Sorta like asking a vegan what Outback should do to help them sell more steaks.